The Colorado farm fighting eminent domain

This week I’ve been reading through some of the responses to our Voter Voices survey, a statewide effort to understand which political issues matter most to readers. The answers will shape our coverage of the upcoming election and, hopefully, push candidates to talk about the things you’ve decided matter most.

So far, the top issue by a long shot is “democracy and good government.” We couldn’t agree more.

Trustworthy journalism is essential for a functioning democracy, and we’re proud to be your trusted news source. It’s Democracy Days here at The Sun, and our goal is to raise $30,000 in donations by June 26. We’re nearly halfway there, thanks to our readers. Thank you! If you haven’t yet, you can make a tax-deductible contribution at coloradosun.com/donate. A gift of any size makes an impact!

And if you want to help shape our political coverage — and that of 60 newsrooms around the state —you can still take the Voter Voices survey here.

Now, the news.

Parker Yamasaki

Reporter

THE NEWS

AGRICULTURE

Eminent domain, used often to seize land from private owners, has Palizzi Farm in Brighton fearing for its survival

Everybody wants a piece of the Palizzi Farm in Brighton. The 65-acre farm has given up pieces of its land twice before in its 95-year history — first for a King Soopers, and then to widen a highway. Now Jack Hoagland, president of the Parkland Metropolitan District, is using eminent domain to take a chunk of land to bury a pipeline under, but the farmers say he’s going too far. Tracy Ross reports.

READ MORE

• PHOTOS: Cows share the Colorado 149 with commuters on the way to summer pastures. Ranchers guided about 1,500 head of cattle along hillsides, roadsides and down a 3-mile stretch of Colorado Highway 149. Photographer Hugh Carey documented the drive.

ELECTION 2024

If voters adopt statewide ranked choice voting, Colorado may prevent it from taking effect

Voters in November might get the chance to decide if Colorado should move to ranked choice voting, a system where voters rank candidates from all political parties in order of preference. But county clerks are warning they are unprepared for the overhaul, leading lawmakers to propose a last-minute amendment to a pending elections bill that could significantly delay implementation of the system. Jesse Paul explains why the amendment caused proponents of the bill to demand that the governor veto it.

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• Where Republican candidates in the 5th Congressional District stand on big issues. Dave Williams insisted that Republicans don’t need to reach across the aisle to the “radical Democrats,” while Jeff Crank said he wouldn’t compromise on principle, but was open to negotiations on big issues. 
• Where Democratic candidates in the 5th Congressional District stand on big issues. Both candidates spoke about health care and affordable housing when it came to the high cost of living. River Gassen added that student debt needs to be dealt with, while Joe Regan talked about wildfires driving up insurance prices. 
• Donald Trump becomes first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes. Here’s how Colorado leaders are reacting. The former president was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying records related to hush money payments to porn actor Stormy Daniels. The conviction doesn’t stop Trump’s run for president.

ENVIRONMENT

“Sharing is important”: Elementary students dive into Colorado water issues in pen pal program

Talk about water rights in Colorado has become increasingly impassioned in recent years, especially as the state’s climate warms and the Colorado River Basin endures years of drought. But a program connecting elementary school students in places on both sides of the Continental Divide that rely on water from the Roaring Fork River encourages everyone to get back to basics. Shannon Mullane reports on the water-based curriculum, and what we can all learn.

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• Suncor gets new permit, new orders on air pollution. Two of Suncor’s three refinery plants in Commerce City received a renewed operating permit with added training and monitoring orders, but watchdogs say the new rules still fall short. Michael Booth has more.

MORE NEWS

• Kamala Harris addresses U.S. Air Force Academy graduates as 80th D-Day anniversary nears. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to graduates of the Air Force Academy about technological innovation, and brought up the role of the Air Force and Space Force in Russia, China, Ukraine and Iran.
• Human bones found in remote camping area near Bailey. Two hikers found the partial human remains in a remote campsite near Deer Creek Campground on May 28. Investigators have not yet identified the remains.
• FACT BRIEF: Did an explorer prove that shoes he found in western Colorado were left behind by a serial killer? A YouTube video brought attention to 10 pairs of women’s shoes, including broken high heels, tossed in a remote part of the mountainous desert region. Justin George spoke with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office to see if citizens should be concerned.

Section by Parker Yamasaki | Reporter

THE COLORADO REPORT

• Baseball-sized hail fell in Denver on Thursday. Here I was, proud of myself for going to bed around 10 p.m., when not even an hour later I was awoken by giant hail pounding cars and windows outside for several minutes. The largest hailstone recorded was from Commerce City, where a 2.75-inch stone was found.
  — KDVR
• Rep. Lauren Boebert fights off attacks at debate less than a month before primary. Several Republican candidates vying to represent Colorado’s 4th District went hard at Boebert during a televised debate Thursday night.
  — The Denver Post 🔑
• Drew Gordon, brother of Nuggets star Aaron, dies at 33. Drew, a retired professional basketball player, died in a car crash in Portland, Oregon.
  — 9News
• Colorado’s bold new approach to highways — not building them. Driven by the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse emissions by 90% in 30 years, Colorado has focused on public transit in lieu of expanding overcrowded highways.
  — The New York Times 🔑

🔑 = source has article meter or paywall

Section by Kevin Jeffers | Product Team

THE OPINION PAGE

COLUMNS

• Jurors said Trump is guilty 34 times over. Now it’s up to voters to say it just one more time. It may be unprecedented for a former president to be a convicted felon. But come November, he won’t be the only person on trial.
  — Mike Littwin

CARTOONS

In “What’d I Miss?” Ossie explains to Myra that AI will have some wonderful applications, but also have the potential to do great harm.

CARTOON

Drew Litton considers catching some good Colorado sunshine. But on second thought …

CARTOON

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy and submit columns, suggest writers or provide feedback at opinion@coloradosun.com.

Podcast Playlist

CONVERSATION

Each weekday The Daily Sun-Up podcast brings you a bit of Colorado history, headlines and a thoughtful conversation. We keep it tight so you can quickly listen, or stack up a few and tune in at your leisure. You can download the Sun-Up for free in your favorite podcasting app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts or RSS to plug into your app.

• Revisiting: Pat Milbery on surviving a slide off Red Mountain Pass. Artist Pat Milbery shares with Jason Blevins a tale of survival, adventure and introspection from his journey across the treacherous Red Mountain Pass, offering a vivid account of facing nature’s fury head-on.
  LISTEN
• The Outside Festival will pair action sports and the arts with equity and access for all. We talk with Conor Hall, head of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, and Jon Dorn, Chief Entertainment Officer at Outside, about the Outside Festival that will be held in Civic Center park in Denver Saturday and Sunday.
  LISTEN
• Two state senators reflect on their time at the Colorado Capitol. From our post-legislative session event earlier this month, politics reporter Jesse Paul interviews state senators Jim Smallwood and Kyle Mullica.
  LISTEN
• Preserving million-dollar views from the Uncompahgre Valley; Hospitals squeeze last federal dollars for Medicaid. Your weekly update from The Temperature reporters Michael Booth and John Ingold.
  LISTEN
• Author Ariana Harner on “Children of the Storm: The True Story of the Pleasant Hill School Bus Tragedy.” The author chats with SunLit editor Kevin Simpson about this history book, which recounts the story of a class of children in 1931 who got stuck in a spring snowstorm in southeastern Colorado for over 30 hours.
  LISTEN

🗣️ Also, remember to ask your favorite smart device to “play the Daily Sun-Up podcast” and we’ll be on the speaker. As always we appreciate your feedback and comments at podcast@coloradosun.com.

We’ll see you back here on Monday.

— Parker & the whole staff of The Sun

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Corrections & Clarifications

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